Picking Up The Pieces
by Cha-Cha-Cheesecake
Summary: AU, Dylan's POV. When the gang return to Fox Academy there's some friction come between them, as well as Geri slowly tearing apart their confidence. And when Ed does the unthinkable, what is Dylan Fox going to do? FIRST M.P FIC EVER, R&R! DylEd & NiKetty
1. Guidelines

**Guidelines and Info for Picking Up The Pieces:**

**Okay, it's Cha-Cha here :D Thank you to everyone who was kind enough to review, it really means a lot to me! ^^**

**So I decided to make these guidelines-thingies because I figured it'd make more sense since the fourth book has come out now and so my story doesn't really make much sense anymore =S**

**1. I contain spoilers in most of the authors notes because I rant about the latest books a lot. So if I were you, I'd go back and finish the books that've been released so far and get up-to-date so I don't spoil anything. If you can't buy/read the books for whatever reason, just skip past the authors note and try not to look at the spoilers. I WILL, however, write at the start of the authors note if it contains spoilers.**

**2. This is now officially AU, due to the events of the fourth book. Therefore, there's no Harry, no looking into William Fox, no nothing. Okay? This is just following on from the events of the third book, The Rescue.**

**3. I support the canon couples. Therefore, Nico and Ketty are an item (I call them NiKetty). But, so are my own little favourite couple, Dylan and Ed (consequently, I call them DylEd). So there's NO HARRY. Got that? XD**

**4. They're still in the Medusa Project in this book. So they're still surrounded by Geri's little squad and still going on missions, and all of that.**

**5. They're going back to Fox Academy again. Sounds crazy, you say? Well… yeah. Sorry to disappoint you, folks. Maybe one day I'll make another fic alternating to this one, if I get the chance, and maybe it'll have more action in it. Because, if anyone who's read this fanfic has read some of my other fanfics in the anime/manga archive, you probably know I fail at action and flash-bang attacks, and the works. DX**

**6. I probably won't bother bringing small characters back again, like Tony whats-his-name, or whatever. Cause they bored me. Plus, Dylan probably didn't even know them, nor did she actually like them. I'll probably be focusing on the main four, and the main four only.**

**7. So, like I've explained above, this won't link with the later books, like the fourth and the many others Sophie McKenzie will hopefully produce. Please try to enjoy it anyway.**

**8. ENJOY READING IT! :D**


	2. Chapter 1

**SPOILER ALERT!**

**I really hope the Medusa Project has a category in Fanfiction by the time I've written all this. I really really REALLY want there to be one because I am obsessed with it at the moment. Sophie McKenzie came to my school a few months ago (just after The Rescue had come out) and I was inspired by the ideas of her series. My favourite character is Ed, because he seemed really wimpy but in The Rescue he got all assertive and stuff (plus he and Luz had that shiny yellow cover all to themselves).**

**I really liked the Ed and Ketty pairing but it seemed obvious from the start that she would end up with Nico (I HATE THAT GUY). So then I was all for Ed and Luz. But then after Luz's death I KNEW he and Dylan would end up together somehow. Even though while I'm writing this Dylan's book hasn't come out, fingers crossed they'll end up together.**

**I even created an account on Goodreads because I wanted to make a forum about the couples in it :3 I'm a crazed fan girl. So anyway, please enjoy this. I REEEEALLY hope that I my writing sounds Dylan-ish. ^^**

**XXX**

The Medusa Project

Picking Up the Pieces

I blew up a strand of hair, irritated. The five of us (me, Nico, Ed, Ketty and Geri) were all in a stuffy car on our way to Fox Academy again. After the incident involving Ketty's brother, Lex, and the whole thing with going to that freakin' boot camp and almost being dead meat, Geri had sent us away _again _to a camp, only this one was actually Medusa-friendly (and thank god for that). And now it was back to Fox Academy. Uncle Fergus _better_ be happy to see us.

I was sat in the middle seat, fuming, with Ketty and Nico making goo-goo eyes at each other behind me. I was seriously going to snap.

"Now, you know your cover stories for why you were out, right?" Geri said for the six-freakin'-teenth time.

"Yeah, yada yada, we know, whatever," Nico drawled. I could tell Ketty was elbowing him.

"Behave," I heard her whisper.

"Yeah, if we say we know will you shut up?" I asked, flicking through albums on my iPod and choosing a Reliant K song to listen to, in order to drown out the sound of Geri's clipped response. Her voice drove me _crazy_.

"…" Ed didn't say anything, as usual, although to be honest it wasn't all that usual anymore; since the drama in Mahore, he's become way more… what's the word? Assertive?

Car-sick, most likely.

It was hard to listen to the song, though, because it was all about girls and their mood swings. The person who wrote that song is a freakin' jerk. How sexist is that? It's not like guys never have mood swings either. I've seen Nico's tantrums plenty of times. He'll go from loved-up ladies' man to cold-hearted bastard in a matter of seconds.

Ed doesn't show his true emotions most of the times; but then again, there's no proof of him being human, either. For all I know he could be some sort of unisex alien mastermind… but maybe I'm just being paranoid.

There wasn't even any point changing the song because I couldn't hear my music anyway over the sound of Nico and Ketty giggling about something or other, much to my disgust.

"Can you guys shut up for once?" I snapped, turning around. Ketty looked a tiny bit flustered, but Nico just glared at me.

"Keep to yourself," he replied coldly.

"Same goes for you," I retorted, angry that he was telling _me_. "Stop freakin' flirting with Ketty already. You already have her wrapped round your finger, what more are you hoping for?"

"Get off my case, Dyl," he snarled. Ketty looked troubled.

"Just stop it, you two," she said desperately, clinging onto Nico's arm. His expression softened, and he put his free arm round her shoulder. I mimed puking.

"Stop the racket, you three. Now, repeat to me your cover stories before we arrive back." Geri said firmly, ignoring my groans.

"Fine! I'll reel them off, shall I? I went back to visit my family in America, one of Ketty's relatives was supposedly sick so she went to stay with them, Nico accompanied her and Ed got a freakin' scholarship! You happy now? I've basically memorised the whole situation. Now can you leave us alone? I want to relax to a decent extent before we arrive back at the Academy again." I was ready to blow up.

"Well, we'll be here in a minute, so there's no point. For the time being, try not to kill each other." I blew a raspberry.

Geri had been touchy all day. It probably had something to do with the fact that she's been holding a grudge against us since we stood up for ourselves in the hotel room, Ed (surprisingly) most of all. I kinda admire him for that. Not that I'd ever say that to his face, of course.

"All right. We're here." The second we stopped and the car doors unlocked, Ed shot straight out of the car. Considering he's such a sport-wuss, he was surprisingly agile just then.

"Finally," I said, stretching. "I'm so freakin' stiff from all this sitting around." Nico and Ketty barely registering my presence; they were way too busy holding hands and giggling about something or other.

I climbed out of the car and sauntered over to where Ed was keeling over after being sick.

"Hanging tough there, are we, Chino Boy?" I smirked. He looked up at me weakly.

"Piss off," he said, unable to invent a better comeback. I grinned inwardly - he actually responded to that like it was his real name nowadays. Then he looked around suspiciously. "Where are Nico and Ketty?" He probably wished I would transform into Ketty magically, but I wasn't giving him any false hope.

"They're so freakin' smitten they haven't even noticed we're out of the car, probably," I said, shrugging.

"Oh." His face fell a little. If I was him, I'd be relieved, to be perfectly honest. I mean, I wouldn't want them to see me after I'd puked behind the rose bushes.

"What? Disappointed that I came instead of Ketty?" I teased. He grinned half-heartedly.

"Well, yeah, obviously. She's much less likely to bite off my head if I put a foot wrong." I pulled a face. Okay, so I maybe wasn't as friendly to them as Ketty. Well, I didn't want them trying anything funny. But seriously. He made it sound like I was the Wicked Witch of the freakin' West or something like that. That sucks _big time_.

"Whatever." I looked over at the car. They were still in the back seats, talking with goofy faces. "You still like her, don't you, Chino Boy?" He blinked.

"What?"

"Ketty." I jerked a finger over to the car. "You still have the hots for her, right?" His cheeks began to turn red.

"I-I-"

"Scared of Nico, huh? Well, I'll admit that his Medusa Gene is cooler than yours. And he's probably fitter than you… not that I'd know. I've never tried to peek in on him when he's prancing around posing in his underwear. But I don't know. I think that he's too wild and unpredictable for Ketty."

"Since when did you start playing Cupid?" he asked uneasily, trying to be cocky but looking really guilty - but then again, he pretty much always looked like that.

I shrugged. "You should get a new girlfriend, you know, make Ketty jealous. It's foolproof." He stared at the floor.

"But… I don't want to." I threw up my hands in exaggerated disbelief.

"What do you mean, you 'don't want to'? That's stupid, and you know it! There's no way Ketty's going to fall for you if you don't get it together and find a lady-friend!"

"But… I can't. Luz…" I stopped my rant and stared, guilt stabbing me in the stomach. Why hadn't I thought of that? Ed's sort-of girlfriend Luz was in Spain. She was captured, along with us, and when Ed lied about some Tsonga dude's base, she'd been shot in the head. That was horrible. Even if I'd been in these kind of situations, I'd always had the Medusa Gene to protect me. Luz had nothing.

I shivered. Of course, it was terrible for me and Ketty, watching her die in front of us. Terrible for Nico, hearing about it, knowing the place he had been imprisoned in for days was being used to dump her body in. But Ed had loved her. It was Ed's fault that they'd pulled the trigger. She was so important to him. And while Ketty had been his first crush, Luz had been so much more to him. That's gotta hurt on so many levels.

"… Well, Jesus. I mean, Luz's death hurt us all, Ed. But wouldn't she have wanted you to be happy?" Crap. His name slipped out without a hint of scorn in my voice. That isn't how Dylan Fox works.

"I know that, Dylan." He looked hurt. "Of course I know that. But I don't want to just move on straight away and pretend everything's okay. It's only been five weeks. How can it be all right in only five weeks?" I sighed deeply. Ed was hard to deal with like this, as we found out in the hotel room after the Mahore incident.

"But Luz sorta knew she wouldn't be with you, didn't she?" I argued. "I mean, she was a prisoner, and she knew she wouldn't get anywhere, didn't she? That's why she depended on you so much! She would've wanted you to forget about her. Like I said before, just because she isn't around doesn't mean-"

"Just shut up already, Dylan!" I stared. Ed had sprang to his feet while I was talking and was now glaring at me. His eyes were shining with unshed tears. "How can you say that…!"

He blinked rapidly and stared at the floor, rubbing his eyes furiously with his sleeve. I felt so guilty I couldn't even speak.

If it were Nico I wouldn't have cared so much, because he's so outspoken and arrogant. As for Ketty, sure, I would've felt a bit bad, but I knew that she would've stuck up for herself, and would've been just as bitchy back.

But Ed… he was like a puppy. I couldn't tell when he would snap, but I had seen him like this before. He had never seen me, of course, but I'd seen him before, crying, wishing to himself silently he could just be swallowed by the ground.

"…" I couldn't find the words to tell him that I was sorry. Because when have I ever said sorry? I'm Dylan Fox. I don't apologise. I know that I'm way too proud, and I've known it since this whole thing begun, but I can't start being all goody-goody and sweet now. It'll all feel so wrong.

"…I-"

"Heeey! Edddd! Dylannnn!" I turned around. Ketty was wandering around, calling our names. Ed wiped his eyes one final time and walked right past me over to Ketty.

"Jeez, where were you, Ed?" she wanted to know. "We were looking for you." I only realised when she said 'we' that Nico was holding onto her hand and nodding briefly.

"Where's Dyl?" he asked. Ed shrugged.

"I don't know."

Liar.

"I'm here," I said, walking towards them. Nico raised his eyebrows.

"I didn't know that the rose bushes were so damn interesting," he said. I glared at him.

"Freakin' shut up," I snapped. Geri cleared her throat.

"Come on, you lot. Don't make too much fuss now, we don't want to draw attention to ourselves."

"Everyone will be in lessons. What kind of attention will we attract if we're just walking through empty corridors?" I asked. Her jaw clenched. I knew that I was provoking her, but at that point I didn't even care. I just wanted to see Uncle Fergus.

We marched down the corridors. Well, _I_ marched. Geri busily walked, click-clicking in her knife-heels. Ed shuffled, head down, looking like he first did when I met him. And Ketty and Nico lagged behind, whispering between themselves. Figures.

At last we reached a familiar office, looking surprisingly the same, despite the fact that it had been blown up only a month or two before. I guess Geri had paid for all the re-building.

"Hey, Uncle Fergus," I called, rapping on the door with my knuckles. "We're back!"

**XXX**

**Soooo… didya like it? Personally I think that Dylan was quite mean to Ed. Like I've said already, Ed is my favourite character ^^ So hopefully he'll have more appreciation. I'm grateful that Sophie McKenzie made him more assertive, but I still think that he deserves more… love. I mean, here Ketty is, like it said in The Hostage, she's nowhere near as pretty as Dylan, and she has both Ed AND Nico going after her. And yet Ed only has Ketty briefly, and he gets no love until The Rescue. And then Luz DIES! It's just like Sophie McKenzie is out to get Ed or something like that. =(**

**So I really hope that he gets more love T0T**

**But anyway. Please review! :D Show the Medusa Project more appreciation!**


	3. Chapter 2

**I feel really awesome! I actually made the Medusa Project a category! :D That's a good feeling.**

**Anyway, where was I? Right. Medusa Project… yes…**

**Hrm. Don't know what to put here. Um…**

**ED! ED! Gotta love Ed, right? ANYONE reading this right now that knows what the Medusa Project is, freaking read it and write a couple hundred fanfics by next Tuesday. Okay? Got it? Good.**

**Thanks so much to Smile Please10, Gypsy Stars, ILoveOneDirection (SO DO I, BY THE WAY :DD), lifeiscool10, pendragon2601, MiaRocks and milkymudkip for your lovely reviews and support! I haven't been working on this for a while, but it was so lovely two or three days ago to have two reviews in one day x3 So TY, gaizu! You've made me so happy *wipes trickling tears away***

**Now here's the next chapter :D**

**XXX**

The Medusa Project

Picking Up the Pieces

"It's good to have you kids back." I remembered the last time we'd seen Uncle Fergus he was a freakin' wreck after giving us a hard time over the whole 'acting on our own' crap. And now he was all smiles. I guess after hearing about the incident in Mahore, he was willing to become Mr Smiley again.

"Good to see you again too, Mr Fox," Ketty said politely. Heh.

"Excuse me, I'm going to have to take this call outside," Geri said apologetically, before leaving the room. Me and Uncle Fergus blew raspberries in union. Nico raised his eyebrows. Heh. He's probably never seen Uncle Fergus blow a raspberry in his _life_.

"Cow," I said, sticking my tongue out. Uncle Fergus chuckled.

"You haven't changed a bit, Dylan," he said. "It's such a relief to know that you're all okay. I mean, I was angry that you were doing such dangerous things, but to know that you were being taken away like that… I'm so glad that you're all back in my hands again."

"And not in Geri's," I added. Nico fidgeted with a scrap piece of paper, turning it into a paper aeroplane.

"Hey, give it to me," I said, jumping off of the desk. He scowled.

"No way."

"But I wanna throw it at Geri's head when she comes back into the room," I reasoned.

"I can make that happen with my telekinesis," he replied, demonstrating on me. Well shit, that HURT.

"But I want her to know that I did it," I said, irritably. "Jeez, Nico, you're such a stick in the mud."

"Whatever." Nico glared at me.

"Guys, don't fight," Ketty warned, holding onto Nico's arm lightly. He relaxed at her touch. Sap.

"I apologise that I didn't have a chance to visit you kids while you were at the camp closer to home, but, as you can see, I was quite busy re-arranging the room once it was built again. I hope that you were fine there."

"Well, yeah, compared to that brat-camp in Spain the other camp was a freakin' holiday. For the first four days all I did was lie around my jammies watching Ketty pace our tent cause she couldn't be near her precious Nico while he was resting up. It was hilarious."

"Shut up, Dyl," snarled Nico. I glared at him.

"Don't call me that, you freakin' wanker."

"Dylan, language," Uncle Fergus warned me. I sat back on his desk irritably, folding my arms.

"Why do we have to stay so long in your office, anyway? Why can't we just go back to our dorms? I mean, no offence or anything, but this place kinda sucks. There's nothing to do." I jammed in my earphones again and switched to a Ke$ha song. Ketty rolled her eyes.

I couldn't make out what she was saying to Uncle Fergus, but it sounded like she was apologizing or something. Figures. She's always so polite. It really ticks me off sometimes.

I let my gaze flitter across the room. Nico and Ketty were stood by the door, Nico playing with that freakin' paper plane and Ketty holding his hand, giggling softly. Uncle Fergus was standing with his back to us, examining his bookcase like it was the most fascinating thing in the world. And Ed was stood staring out the window, his expression unreadable. I suddenly remembered the conversation we'd had earlier and felt an unfamiliar feeling twist in my gut.

Was I pitying him?

Okay, Dylan. Review today's little chit-chat behind the rose bushes. Ed was puking so you came to make fun of him. You accuse him of still liking Ketty, which is entirely true and he knows it. Then when you tell him to try and win her back, he refuses, referring to his dead girlfriend Luz. You feel bad, but Dylan Fox does NOT let people know she feels bad, so you try and negociate. And now, not only have you screwed up whatever half-friendship thing you two had, but now Ed's stood looking out of the window feeling sorry for himself and you're listening to Ke$ha. Well done, Dylan Fox.

This whole thing made me seem like a complete jerk, but I am completely INNOCENT. I was actually trying to do the great of good, attempting to convince him to confess his feelings of love to Ketty. He was the one who's moping around about his dead girlfriend (they didn't even go out, so I don't even class that as a girlfriend) and shooting his mouth off at me instead of getting up off his lazy ass and stealing Ketty away from Nico (that'd put a smile on my face. Lover-boy Nico gets ditched for a complete dweeb).

And now he's guilting me into feeling bad for him so that I'll apologise! Well, no way am I going down that rocky road of mushy feelings. Let Ed wallow alone in a deep pit of singuality for all I care.

As I was about to say something, a thought occurred to me. Recently, Ed had been figuring out how to communicate remotely - in other words, without eye contact. Which was convenient, because he wasn't looking at me at all. But what if, for some random, crazy reason, we should be able to communicate back? Not with just anyone, I know that much - that's Ed's gift, after all. But what if us Medusas could somehow communicate with Ed without him contacting us first?

Hmm… Well, it was worth a shot.

I squinted, trying to work out how Ed did this kinda thing. Okay… Steady breathing… clear thoughts… right, better turn this music off. Now, where was I? Okay, got it. Clear thoughts…

_Whoosh._

For a second I was completely stunned. I had done it. I had done the _whoosh _thingy. This was a start, at least.

Now, for my whooshy-thoughts to travel into Ed's head…

_Whoosh._

At once Ed's head jerked up, and he blinked wildly.

_Wh-What the hell?_

_Nice to see you too, Chino Boy._

He stared at me, his eyes so wide it looked almost impossible.

_B-But how? _he thought-cried, his gaze never leaving my face.

_Well, I don't know. I just… cleared my head, and it just sorta happened. I guess._

_This is mega weird… How the heck are you doing this? And why, that's what I want to know._

_Look… _I paused for a moment. _Well… You know. It was stupid of me… y'know… to bring up Luz and all that earlier. I know that I shouldn't have._

_A-A-Are you…?_

_Yes! Yes, you know what I mean… Ummm… What I'm trying to say is… Well, I'M SO-_

Geri strode into the room again, not a hair out of place, but with a slightly tired expression on her face. I broke the connection almost immediately, panicking that I mighta looked like I was staring at him in a mushy way. Dylan Fox does NOT do that.

Geri took a deep breath, before smoothing down her hair and addressing us.

"Please excuse me for leaving earlier. I received a phone call from the United States." My ears perked up. Nothing like a good old reminder of that rat-hole they call a country.

"It was about Dylan's relatives." My ears perked up a whole lot more now. What about my snotty relatives?

"It seems that you won't be going back there, Dylan," Geri said, clasping her hands together in about the most nervous state I'd ever caught Geri in. I scowled.

"I wasn't planning on paying them a visit any time soon, you know," I snarled. "But go on. Tell me why I can't return to my snobby relatives in Philadelphia."

"They've passed, dear." Okay, this was _so _not the answer I'd been expecting. Was she serious?

"Passed? You mean, they died?" I frowned. "Was there an accident or something? Or a tornado? We got them a lot."

"I'm afraid not. To cut short, they were murdered."

At that moment, it was like time stopped. A lame expression, I know. But it was true. All I could do was gawp like a freakin' fish. I felt everyone else tense up as well. Ketty even clapped a hand over her mouth, the sound vibrating around the room like rolling thunder.

I didn't ever particularly like my relatives, especially Aunt Patrice, and they way she'd sniff at anything I said or asked about my mom, or the fact that she was only after my inherited money.

And yet, when I'd pictured attending her funeral, I'd always imagined being grown-up, perhaps even with a kid or whatever. I didn't imagine her to be murdered, not in a million.

I zoned into reality a moment later. After all, time waits for no one.

"Yes… your family was discovered in their home, which had been ransacked, as if the killer was looking for something. No one knows of any possible suspects though."

A cold fear set in the pit of my stomach. Oh, god.

My family had been murdered. The killer had left no trace of who they were… only that they were in search of something.

"Oh, Dylan… I'm so sorry," Ketty said, looking at me with sad eyes. I shrugged, keeping my hard expression in tact. Nico nodded in agreement.

"Yeah… Seriously. We… er, well, we feel for ya."

Ed nodded, his face pale and haunted, the way he looked after mind-reading Foster.

Uncle Fergus bowed his head.

"I'm sorry to hear about your family…" He paused. "…If we can help in any way-"

"You don't have to," I cut in quickly. I didn't want them feeling sorry for me. I hated my family. If they felt worse than I did and they'd never met my relatives, what did that make me, some kind of heartless bitch?

After a few moments, I picked up my earphones again and flicked to random, hoping something would take my mind off the freaky news, and the looks Ed kept giving me after our little "connection".

And then, the recording started to play.

"_So, it looks like that patronising cow and her family are gone now, and what I was looking for had been shipped out to England." _I froze. What the hell was this?

"_And yes, I'm talking about you, Dylan. I was searching for you in that house," _the voice continued. I could barely breathe, or sense anything else around me other than my loudly beating heart, which was in overdrive as fear clung to me with a vice grip.

"_But you've moved to Shitland, haven't you? Well, you have no one anymore. Your family's dead. And you're next, Dylan Fox."_

I felt uneasy sweat trickling down the back of my neck like rain. This recording… I hadn't put it on. I'd know if I put it on, I didn't let anyone touch my iPod except for me. This was scary. I mean, real scary. Dylan Fox doesn't fear most things. But this? _This is terrifying._

I didn't tell Geri. Like she didn't have enough on her plate, what with dealing with creeps that were busy terrorising the country up north, as she'd put it so lightly when we'd bugged her about it before.

Instead I kept it to myself. Which, at the time, I'd agree whole-heartedly with the next person that it was stupid.

I didn't realise back then, that it was exactly the secret that I was hiding that saved my life.

**XXX**

**Alas, forgive me for the short chapter! I've been very busy organising my chorus group, sending in vocals, working on other fanfic-related stuff, and just catching up with my friends cause I haven't seen or talked to them much over xmas!**

**Plus the very exciting fourth volume came out and I read it in a single night, as well as drawing a ton of fanart for it (I got to sleep at 4 DX) so I slept until past noon and had very little time to actually write.**

**I'll probably be ranting about the fourth book by the time I update again, cause by then it'll probably be on sale everywhere (I got it on the 29th****, and it's supposed to be released on the 6****th**** of January OwO) so most of you will have read it.**

**Here's a tip for ya to look out for… The cover's bright blue and has a picture of Dylan doing a karate kick, with Harry (spoiler character, my bad XD) and Nico in the background. It's also called "The Medusa Project: Hunted". I hope you guys can find it easily enough now! ^w^**

**Lets give three cheers and a review for the last day of 2010!**


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